Ford has confirmed that the Mustang Mach-E Rally, first previewed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier this year, will go into production in 2024 as the company’s first EV designed for dirt roads.
Projected to have 480 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque from an updated two-motor powertrain, the rallycross-inspired model should hit 60mph (100km/h) from rest quicker than the current GT Performance Edition’s 3.5 seconds.
Rallycross upgrades
Developed in only 16 months from a concept suggested by a rallycross-loving member of the Mach-E team, the SUV gets a comprehensive makeover to handle high-speed, off-road running. There’s a 20mm suspension lift, MagneRide shocks (which we think will help its on-road ride, too), Michelin CrossClimate2 tires with deeper sidewalls (size 235/55 R19), bigger Brembo brake rotors and underbody skid plates to protect the front and rear electric motors.
Exterior changes include gloss white, rally-style wheels; front fog lights; black body moldings; a black steel roof for a lower centre of gravity; and a pronounced rear wing. A new Grabber Yellow is the highlight of a palette of bold paint colours that includes two other newcomers, Eruption Green metallic and Glacier Grey. Racing stripes are standard, as is protective film on the door cladding and fender arches to reduce paint chips.
To ensure that the Rally is ready for the dirt, Ford built a new rallycross course both virtually and physically, at its Michigan Proving Grounds, on which the car has completed 500-mile (800km) durability runs.
“Subaru WRX was the vehicle we most closely benchmarked against from a driving dynamics perspective,” Donna Dickson, Mustang Mach-E’s chief engineer, told tractionlife.com. “We looked at others including the Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo when setting performance targets.”
Dickson expects enthusiasts to have fun running the Rally on off-road courses or unofficial, homebuilt rallycross tracks. The automaker is also looking at options to race the car.
Faster charging, 250-mile range
Ford expects the Mach-E Rally to attract further new customers to the brand, according to Michael Sego, group marketing manager for the model.
“Already, 60% of customers for the non-Rally Mustang Mach-E are brand new to Ford,” he says. “We think that the Rally will continue to build on that and expand the market. Historically, the EV market has been [dominated by] innovator customers and very early adopters, but [now] we are crossing into the early majority, with EVs going [into the market] more broadly. We see a departure from the pavement and onto the dirt road as one area where EVs will be expanding in the near term. Customers can choose on-road performance with the Mach-E GT, or off-road performance with a Mach-E Rally.”
Sego notes that data collected from Mustang Mach-E owners shows that the median daily distance driven is approximately 30 miles (50km), with a median trip being only around five miles (8km). As such, he believes the Rally’s estimated 250-mile (400km) range should be sufficient for most customers’ needs.
A reduced charging time is one improvement for the Rally that looks set to be rolled out to other Mach-E models. Its 91kWh-usable-capacity battery is now estimated to charge from 10% to 80% in under 37 minutes, about seven minutes faster than before, on a DC fast charger at up to 150kW.
Coming in 2024
Ford is yet to confirm other changes for 2024 model-year Mach-Es but they’re set to include the Rally’s new rear motor and powertrain-controls upgrade that unlocks more sustained power during acceleration. The Blue Oval has already introduced a whole new user interface for the central touchscreen and added streaming and games. Like other Mach-Es, the Rally will also come with updated BlueCruise 1.3 for hands-free highway driving. Ford says that software updates are ongoing for current customers.
Production of the Mustang Mach-E Rally is slated to begin in early 2024 with deliveries beginning shortly thereafter. It’ll be available from dealers or online, in all North American and European markets where the Mach-E is currently on sale. Pricing will be confirmed closer to launch, but Ford is targeting a US MSRP of around $65,000.
